As a preface, there was a lot of stuff going on last session, so I’m sure I missed some things. Please correct any omissions or mistakes.

The Nessian Chord is on the way to Everett via barge, and we drop off Grimnok before reaching the city. We spend the night at an inn and wander the city the first day, doing some shopping and exploration.

We are then led to the estate of Baron Arkov, invited inside and offered refreshments and hors’devours. We are reluctantly divested of our weapons, and then allowed to meet the baron. He is charming and chatty, acting as a consummate host. We speak of nothing important, and enjoy a sumptuous feast. After dinner, he dismisses his servants and speaks to us frankly. He calls us beggars and tells us that he cares not for the black council or our version of Karamaka. He is comfortable in his current situation and doesn’t want to give up any of his wealth or status. He asks us to persuade him as to why he should help us. We mention Karamaka and Thorn, but he is unimpressed and unmoved. He mentions that Thorn must have had a hard time sending us to him for assistance, indicating that he and Thorn are not necessarily on good terms. He says that he only saw us to discharge a debt. We eventually mention that we could perhaps spare him and his holdings if our mission is successful. He invites us back tomorrow for dinner to speak about it further.

We depart, and Tiadora tells us that the seventh chord arrives tomorrow on a barge. She says that we should meet them and get our plans in order. The next morning, Picket (disguised as a child) meets the seventh chord at the docks and leads them to the rest of us. We reintroduce ourselves and retire to our inn where we spend the afternoon telling tales of our success in spreading the word of Karamaka.

Elise tells us that she is aware of our mission and has one of her own as well. She says that we should contact her when we acquire what we seek. We tell her of our meeting with the Baron and invite her to come with us to dinner tonight. We fill her in on general Everett goings-on. That evening, we depart for the Baron’s manor with Elise and Donstan in tow. The baron turns away Elise and Donstan, so we leave without meeting him.

We send a note in the morning informing him of our wish to dine with him this evening, with Elise and Donstan. A scroll returns bearing a message indicating that only the Nessian Chord is invited to dinner, so we return for dinner without the seventh chord. We enter the baron’s study with our weapons. The baron is wearing nicer clothing, and has a strange green glowing amulet and dragon ring made of a strange reddish metal with emeralds.

He informs us that he will deal with us only. He says that the price for his help is immunity for 10 people of his choosing from the Tears of Achlys. In return, he offers us the run of his city (within reason) and any information he has pertaining to our mission. He intends to cast a modified gaes to ensure our compliance.

We hem and haw and indicate that we would like some time to think about it. We speak more of our agreement and make meaningless small talk over dinner. After dinner, we are led to the basement, where he speaks an unusual magical phrase, and a doorway appears into which we enter. He leads us to an altar of karamaka, where he casts the gaes upon us. He pours some brandy and we drink as he speaks of Thorn. He says he knew Thorn since before he was the high priest of Karamaka.

He tells us about Vetri-Kali: The sons of the pale horseman came around a couple of hundred years ago. Vetri-kali contacted them and some decided to worship him as a god. Vetri-Kali represents the lord of pestilence. The Horn of Abbadon became a fortress, housed by soldiers. There was a keep within 5-10 miles where they trained these soldiers. They were attempting to get Vetri-kali to give them something. Before this could happen, the Victor assaulted the Horn and destroyed all the followers of Vetri-kali and sealed him away. The part of the Silverwood wherein it supposedly lies is full of spires that could be mistaken for the Horn.